So-called dropper seatposts for bicycles have been around for a long time. They’re designed to help riders make climbs as efficient as possible by being able to manually control the height of the bicycle seat. 

For a new dropper seatpost model, stem and seatpost manufacturer L.H. Thomson recently partnered with Saint-Gobain on the company’s new Elite Dropper Seatpost. The new dropseat allows users to manually control seat height without having to stop or slow down during a climb or descent. The mechanical heart of the Elite Dropper is a nitrogen cartridge pressurized to 200 psi which acts as the return spring inside the shaft.

And the key to a smooth motion here is Saint-Gobain’s NORGLIDE composite bearing. The bearings feature a low-friction PTFE liner attached to a lightweight aluminum case. The custom-developed PTFE layer acts as a lubricant, offering low friction values throughout the component lifetime.

Here’s a video showing the bearing and the seatpost in action.

http://youtu.be/xrR4OVW4C6Q